Teacher: Mr. Warren Office Location: Condo 6 Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:50-2:30 pm E-mail: russell.warren@maine.edu
Summary of Unit
Film and literature go hand in hand in our modern world. It's rare to find a well-known and influential piece of fiction to not have a representation on the big or small screen. However, it's important to realize that the two mediums are different, and that each representation bring something different to the interpretation of the content. Using F. Scott Fitzgerald's heralded piece of American fiction, The Great Gatsby, and using color as a vehicle to look at representation, the entire unit will be focused on three main facets: 1) The context of the time period Fitzgerald created the novel, 2) The importance of color and how it is used, and 3) The usage of theme and choice in representing content. All of the unit assignments will be focused on of these three main points, having them dissect and investigate information, and will culminate in a major unit project where the students themselves create their own interpretation of a scene in the novel.
Establish Goals
Common Core State Standards Content Area: English Grade Level: 9 & 10 Domain: Reading - Literature Cluster: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas Standard #7: Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two or more different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment.
Students will understand that
•recurring themes are incuded to not only instill an idea, but give insight to our and the author's world. •color is widely used as visual representations of topics and themes. •different representations fulfill different meanings.
Essential Questions
•How do the themes relate to Fitzgerald's world and ours? •Why does color play such a large role in our perceptions? •Why are representations made if the content is the same? How would you represent a scene from The Great Gatsby?
Students will know
•Key Factual Info: How the movie, book, ect. succeed/fail differently in their portrayal. •Important Events: What formed Fitzgerald's novel and theory, especially on the 'American Dream'. •Critical Details: Why gold, green, and other colors are so important to understanding and representing the novel.
Students will be able to
•describe how creators use color with themes. •judge how choice effects the representation. •create a personal example of an integral scene. •analyze the usage and choice of themes in representation. •consider why the themes were relevant at the time of conception. •relate the themes of the novel to your own world. Performance Task Overview Director Baz Luhrmann has been asked to direct the next major interpretation of a major piece of American literature - F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Recruiting A-list actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, and Tobey Maguire, Luhrmann has already finished much of the major filming and is excited to release the film for the summer season. Unfortunately, he has fallen to director's block. For many of the major scenes in the novel, he is at a loss on how to represent the scenes in his film. He is also looking for an assistant director. Luhrmann has asked multiple young directors - including you - to present their own unique interpretation of a major scene from the novel. He has asked these directors to create and send in these scenes, paying particular attention to the usage of color to represent theme, and an accurate portrayal of the time period. After he views them, he will request a personal interview where the aspiring directors will have a chance to explain their film and justify their choices. If you present what Baz Luhrmann deems to be the most appropriate, intricate, informative, and entertaining scene, it will be included in his film and you will be hired as his personal director's assistant.
Expectations
Absences: It's extremely important for you to be in class every day. Not only is it crucial for your success in the classroom, but you'll also be missing out on a lot of fun activities! It will be difficult if you miss class, as much of the instruction is discussion based, so unexcused absences are strongly discouraged - some of the strongest learning and understanding comes from invaluable class discussions. If you know you'll miss the class period, send me an email or tell me in class the day before, so I can provide you with the proper explanation of what occurred in class and the various handouts and assignments we might have worked on. Ask a friend in class to tell you what you missed and relay the information and any notes they might have taken to you. And don't forget the blog! I will update after every class, and you have every other students entries at your disposal as well.
Plagiarism: Much of this class is based on your own, unique thoughts and beliefs on the material. You all have the capacity to do marvelous work, and you all can bring something new and personal to each assignment that's assigned and each discussion we have in class. It is completely allowed to work with others and develop your thoughts, and it's acceptable to use information from textbooks or the internet in your own projects. However, you should cite your sources and make sure you give credit where credit is deserved - which is everywhere! It's unfair to the creator to plagiarize - just like you, they took their time and their unique thoughts to create a product that is truly their own. Instances of plagiarism will not be handled lightly. You are encouraged to meet with me if you have questions or confusions about plagiarism.
Assignments: Assignments are not busy work - they are building blocks that will help you understand the material and aid you in your learning. All worksheets, writings, and the like will be explained and begun in class, and it's important to submit them to me on the agreed upon due date. If you're having trouble with any assignment, please ask me questions. I assign them to help you, not to confuse you, and to help me understand how your progress is going. They are to your benefit, and are just as important as your final projects, so don't hesitate to ask questions and work with others.
Classroom Expectations: We are all human beings, with unique thoughts and beliefs and experiences and troubles and enjoyments and a thousand different other facets that make us who we are. My classroom will be a place where these differences are discussed, used to your advantage, and accepted by the other students. A positive, tolerant class will make the lessons so much smoother, easier, and learner-friendly. Humor is greatly encouraged as well!
Benchmarks - 150 Total Marks
• Blog: Your continually updated blog will contain various Quick Write assignments and prompts relating to the learning done in the classroom. Not only will you be responding to the work and completing quick assignments, but you will also use the blog as an outlet for your opinions, questions, and general feelings towards the content and your learning. They will be graded on completion and enthusiasm, not on what is 'right' or 'wrong', as all your opinions are justifiable. (25/150)
• Podcast: To demonstrate your knowledge of the Roaring Twenties and the framework of The Great Gatsby, you will create a Podcast project. It will consist of you interviewing a person straight out of the Jazz Age, questioning them on their daily life, morals, beliefs, desires, etc. (20/150)
• Prezi: Being able to analyze an artistic representation is an integral part of this unit. You will create a Prezi project where you will adapt the knowledge you learned from the Art Gallery lesson on a piece of artwork that is your choice, dissect the choices the artist made and highlighting the use of color. (20/150)
• bubbl.com: After learning the ways to form a clear and informative organizer through various examples, you will create your own graphic organizer comparing and contrasting two separate interpretations of the same content, paying close attention to what is included/missing, what themes are presented and how, and what colors are used. (10/150)
• Google Doc: To demonstrate your knowledge of how color relates to theme, you will work on a collaborative essay. In groups of four, each person will be assigned a specific color that is important in The Great Gatsby. You will explain what the color means and how it is important, then your group will work together to explain how the separate colors intermingle and enhance the novel. (25/150)
• iMovie (Final Project): Look at Performance Task Overview. (25/150)
• In-Class Assignments: The various assignments you accomplish in class will be graded for comprehension, content, timeliness, and thoroughness These will include an Observation Chart, a Sandwich chart, a Five W's worksheet, a KWL chart, a Persuasion map, etc. (25/150)
Grading Scale
A (93 -100), A- (90 - 92), B+ (87 - 89), B (83 - 86), B- (80 - 82), C+(77 - 79), C (73-76), C- (70 - 72), D+(67 - 69), D (63 - 66), D- (60 - 62), F (0 - 59). A grade of a C- is required for each individual course in the Block. Your grade for the Block will be the average of the four grades you earn from each individual course of the Block.
Office Location: Condo 6
Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:50-2:30 pm
E-mail: russell.warren@maine.edu
Summary of Unit
Film and literature go hand in hand in our modern world. It's rare to find a well-known and influential piece of fiction to not have a representation on the big or small screen. However, it's important to realize that the two mediums are different, and that each representation bring something different to the interpretation of the content. Using F. Scott Fitzgerald's heralded piece of American fiction, The Great Gatsby, and using color as a vehicle to look at representation, the entire unit will be focused on three main facets: 1) The context of the time period Fitzgerald created the novel, 2) The importance of color and how it is used, and 3) The usage of theme and choice in representing content. All of the unit assignments will be focused on of these three main points, having them dissect and investigate information, and will culminate in a major unit project where the students themselves create their own interpretation of a scene in the novel.Establish Goals
Common Core State StandardsContent Area: English
Grade Level: 9 & 10
Domain: Reading - Literature
Cluster: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Standard #7: Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two or more different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment.
Students will understand that
•recurring themes are incuded to not only instill an idea, but give insight to our and the author's world.•color is widely used as visual representations of topics and themes.
•different representations fulfill different meanings.
Essential Questions
•How do the themes relate to Fitzgerald's world and ours?•Why does color play such a large role in our perceptions?
•Why are representations made if the content is the same? How would you represent a scene from The Great Gatsby?
Students will know
•Key Factual Info: How the movie, book, ect. succeed/fail differently in their portrayal.•Important Events: What formed Fitzgerald's novel and theory, especially on the 'American Dream'.
•Critical Details: Why gold, green, and other colors are so important to understanding and representing the novel.
Students will be able to
•describe how creators use color with themes.•judge how choice effects the representation.
•create a personal example of an integral scene.
•analyze the usage and choice of themes in representation.
•consider why the themes were relevant at the time of conception.
•relate the themes of the novel to your own world.
Performance Task Overview
Director Baz Luhrmann has been asked to direct the next major interpretation of a major piece of American literature - F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Recruiting A-list actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, and Tobey Maguire, Luhrmann has already finished much of the major filming and is excited to release the film for the summer season. Unfortunately, he has fallen to director's block. For many of the major scenes in the novel, he is at a loss on how to represent the scenes in his film. He is also looking for an assistant director. Luhrmann has asked multiple young directors - including you - to present their own unique interpretation of a major scene from the novel. He has asked these directors to create and send in these scenes, paying particular attention to the usage of color to represent theme, and an accurate portrayal of the time period. After he views them, he will request a personal interview where the aspiring directors will have a chance to explain their film and justify their choices. If you present what Baz Luhrmann deems to be the most appropriate, intricate, informative, and entertaining scene, it will be included in his film and you will be hired as his personal director's assistant.
Expectations
Absences: It's extremely important for you to be in class every day. Not only is it crucial for your success in the classroom, but you'll also be missing out on a lot of fun activities! It will be difficult if you miss class, as much of the instruction is discussion based, so unexcused absences are strongly discouraged - some of the strongest learning and understanding comes from invaluable class discussions. If you know you'll miss the class period, send me an email or tell me in class the day before, so I can provide you with the proper explanation of what occurred in class and the various handouts and assignments we might have worked on. Ask a friend in class to tell you what you missed and relay the information and any notes they might have taken to you. And don't forget the blog! I will update after every class, and you have every other students entries at your disposal as well.Plagiarism: Much of this class is based on your own, unique thoughts and beliefs on the material. You all have the capacity to do marvelous work, and you all can bring something new and personal to each assignment that's assigned and each discussion we have in class. It is completely allowed to work with others and develop your thoughts, and it's acceptable to use information from textbooks or the internet in your own projects. However, you should cite your sources and make sure you give credit where credit is deserved - which is everywhere! It's unfair to the creator to plagiarize - just like you, they took their time and their unique thoughts to create a product that is truly their own. Instances of plagiarism will not be handled lightly. You are encouraged to meet with me if you have questions or confusions about plagiarism.
Assignments: Assignments are not busy work - they are building blocks that will help you understand the material and aid you in your learning. All worksheets, writings, and the like will be explained and begun in class, and it's important to submit them to me on the agreed upon due date. If you're having trouble with any assignment, please ask me questions. I assign them to help you, not to confuse you, and to help me understand how your progress is going. They are to your benefit, and are just as important as your final projects, so don't hesitate to ask questions and work with others.
Classroom Expectations: We are all human beings, with unique thoughts and beliefs and experiences and troubles and enjoyments and a thousand different other facets that make us who we are. My classroom will be a place where these differences are discussed, used to your advantage, and accepted by the other students. A positive, tolerant class will make the lessons so much smoother, easier, and learner-friendly. Humor is greatly encouraged as well!
Benchmarks - 150 Total Marks
• Blog: Your continually updated blog will contain various Quick Write assignments and prompts relating to the learning done in the classroom. Not only will you be responding to the work and completing quick assignments, but you will also use the blog as an outlet for your opinions, questions, and general feelings towards the content and your learning. They will be graded on completion and enthusiasm, not on what is 'right' or 'wrong', as all your opinions are justifiable. (25/150)• Podcast: To demonstrate your knowledge of the Roaring Twenties and the framework of The Great Gatsby, you will create a Podcast project. It will consist of you interviewing a person straight out of the Jazz Age, questioning them on their daily life, morals, beliefs, desires, etc. (20/150)
• Prezi: Being able to analyze an artistic representation is an integral part of this unit. You will create a Prezi project where you will adapt the knowledge you learned from the Art Gallery lesson on a piece of artwork that is your choice, dissect the choices the artist made and highlighting the use of color. (20/150)
• bubbl.com: After learning the ways to form a clear and informative organizer through various examples, you will create your own graphic organizer comparing and contrasting two separate interpretations of the same content, paying close attention to what is included/missing, what themes are presented and how, and what colors are used. (10/150)
• Google Doc: To demonstrate your knowledge of how color relates to theme, you will work on a collaborative essay. In groups of four, each person will be assigned a specific color that is important in The Great Gatsby. You will explain what the color means and how it is important, then your group will work together to explain how the separate colors intermingle and enhance the novel. (25/150)
• iMovie (Final Project): Look at Performance Task Overview. (25/150)
• In-Class Assignments: The various assignments you accomplish in class will be graded for comprehension, content, timeliness, and thoroughness These will include an Observation Chart, a Sandwich chart, a Five W's worksheet, a KWL chart, a Persuasion map, etc. (25/150)
Grading Scale
A (93 -100), A- (90 - 92), B+ (87 - 89), B (83 - 86), B- (80 - 82), C+(77 - 79), C (73-76), C- (70 - 72), D+(67 - 69), D (63 - 66), D- (60 - 62), F (0 - 59). A grade of a C- is required for each individual course in the Block. Your grade for the Block will be the average of the four grades you earn from each individual course of the Block.